Article-I.D.: ssc-vax.521
Posted: Fri Mar 15 17:38:35 1985
Date-Received: Tue, 19-Mar-85 05:54:15 EST
Distribution: net
Organization: Boeing Aerospace Co., Seattle, WA
Lines: 123


The following is a press release issued by NASA concerning the Space
Station Phase B contract awards:

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NASA News March 14, 1985
 
Release No: 85-38
 
NASA SELECTS 6 INDUSTRY TEAMS FOR SPACE STATION CONTRACTS
 
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has selected 6 industry 
teams for negotiations leading to fixed-price contracts for definition and 
preliminary design (Phase B) of elements of a permanently manned Space Station 
to be operational in low-Earth orbit by the mid 1990s.
 
The contracts, to begin April 15, will extend for 21 months and will cover 
Space Station elements that have been assigned to four NASA centers.

The responsible NASA center and the industry teams selected for negotiations 
are:
 
MARSHALL SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, Huntsville, Ala. -- Boeing Aerospace Co., 
Seattle; and Martin Marietta Aerospace, Denver.
 
GODDARD SPACE FLIGHT CENTER, Greenbelt, MD. -- RCA Astro Electronics, 
Princeton, NJ; and General Electric Co., Space Systems Division, Philadelphia.
 
LEWIS RESEARCH CENTER, Cleveland -- Rockwell International, Rocketdyne 
Division, Canoga Park, Calif.; and TRW Federal Systems Division, Redondo 
Beach, Calif.
 
In addition, NASA will negotiate with Lockheed Missiles & Space Co.,
Sunnyvale, Calif.; McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co., Huntington Beach, 
Calif; and Rockwell International, Space Station Systems Division, Downey, 
Calif.; the three proposers for work to be performed under the management of 
the Johnson Space Center, Houston.  Following negotiations, a report will be 
presented to the NASA Administrator who will then award one or more contracts.
 
Although the value of each contract will be negotiated, the Request for 
Proposal issued Sept. 14, 1984, indicates that the approximate value of each 
contract to be managed by the Marshall Center could be $24 million, by Johnson 
$27 million, by Goddard $10 million, and by Lewis $6 million.

In addition to the definition and preliminary design of the permanently manned 
Space Station, contractors are required to study how those elements of the 
Space Station would change were the station originally man-tended rather than 
permanently manned.  Contractors also will pay particular attention to the 
recommendations of the NASA Advanced Technology Advisory Committee which is 
identifying automation and robotic technologies that could be used in the 
Space Station.
 
Following completion of the 21-month contracts, NASA plans to move, in 1987 
into final design and development (Phase C/D) of the Space Station.

The work to be managed at each center covers:
 
Marshall -- Definition and preliminary design of pressurized "common modules" 
which can be equipped with appropriate systems for use as laboratories, living 
areas, and logistic transport; environmental control and propulsive systems; 
a plan for equipping a module as a laboratory and additional ones for possible 
use as logistics modules; and a plan for accommodations for orbital maneuvering
and orbital transfer vehicles.
 
Johnson -- Definition and preliminary design of the structural framework to 
which the various elements of the Space Station will be attached; interface 
between the Space Station and the Space Shuttle; mechanisms such as the Remote 
Manipulator Systems; attitude control, thermal control, communications and 
data management systems; plan for equipping a module with sleeping quarters, 
wardroom, and galley; and plan for extra-vehicular activity.
 
Goddard -- Definition and preliminary design of the automated free-flying 
platforms and of provisions to service, maintain, and repair the platforms and 
other free-flying spacecraft; provisions for instruments and payloads to be 
attached externally to the Space Station; and plan for equipping a module as a 
laboratory.
 
Lewis -- Definition and preliminary design of the electrical power generation, 
conditioning and storage systems.
 
President Reagan, in his State of the Union Message of Jan. 25, 1984, directed 
NASA to develop a permanently manned Space Station and to do it within a 
decade.  With the Space Shuttle approaching operational maturity, the agency 
believes the Space Station to be the next logical step in space for the United 
States.
 
NASA will retain the responsibility for overall program definition and plans 
to retain responsibility for systems engineering in integration throughout the 
program.  This effort will be managed at the Johnson Space Center.
 
NASA's plans call for a Space Station to be operational by the mid 1990's.  It 
will be capable of growth both in size and capability and is intended to 
operate well into the 21st century.  It is planned to be placed in low Earth 
orbit, about 300 miles high, and at an inclination to the equator of 28.5 
degrees.  It will include a number of pressurized modules and a power supply 
of about 75 kilowatts, support a crew of six to eight people and have two or 
more free-flying platforms.
 
For the purpose of the definition and preliminary design activity, NASA has 
selected a Space Station reference configuration called "power tower".  This 
is one of a family of configurations that uses similar elements or components.  
The power tower family is considered a starting point for the definition 
studies and is expected to undergo significant modifications as the studies 
progress.  Contractors may offer modifications within the reference concept 
family or other preliminary designs.
 
Launch of the Space Station elements and subsequent transportation between the 
Earth and station will be provided by the Space Shuttle.
 
A major objective of the Space Station Program is to bring about participation 
of international partners as builders and users as well as to assist in Space 
Station operations.  The European Space Agency, Canada, and Japan have 
indicated interest in participating in the Space Station program.  Funding for 
such international participation will be provided by the other governments who 
will award their own definition and preliminary design contracts in phase and 
in coordination with the NASA activity.

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Marla S. Baer-Peckham
Boeing Aerospace Co.
ssc-vax!marla